Worldstream & Cubbit unveil Dutch sovereign S3 cloud

Worldstream and Cubbit have partnered to launch an S3-compatible cloud object storage service hosted and operated entirely in the Netherlands.

Positioned as an alternative for Dutch organisations that want cloud storage without relying on hyperscale public cloud platforms, the service will run across Worldstream's three Dutch data centres and use Cubbit's DS3 Composer software-defined object storage.

Worldstream plans to launch with 1PB of capacity and expects to expand over the coming years as demand grows.

Dutch hosting

The service focuses on data residency and operational control. Worldstream will host and operate the platform on its own infrastructure, including bare-metal server systems and its network. This model keeps the storage chain in-country and under a single operator.

Worldstream has built and managed IT infrastructure for more than 20 years, including object, file, and block storage, and has operated its own data centres and network in Europe since 2006.

Cubbit called the partnership its first Business Alliance Partner in the Netherlands. The agreement extends Cubbit's geo-distributed storage approach through a locally operated service built on European technology.

Market drivers

The partners pointed to shifting customer requirements for S3-compatible storage that align with European compliance needs and data sovereignty expectations. They also cited concerns among Dutch organisations about geopolitical risk, data control, and fee variability in public cloud storage models.

On-premises object storage can offer direct control, but often requires significant capital investment and operational effort. It can also limit flexibility and scaling, particularly for organisations without large storage teams.

Worldstream's service is designed to sit between these two approaches, offering cloud access with a domestic operating model and what the companies described as predictable pricing.

Technology stack

DS3 Composer provides the core software layer. Worldstream will manage service tiers from a single administration console as it rolls out the offering to Dutch enterprises.

Cubbit's system encrypts data, breaks it into fragments, and replicates those fragments across multiple user-selected locations. This means the full dataset is not exposed in any single place.

The companies linked the architecture to resilience and availability goals, as well as compliance considerations, including requirements associated with GDPR and the NIS2 directive.

Worldstream will provide 24/7 customer support through its service desk and cited a seven-minute response time.

Use cases

The partners expect early demand from organisations with workloads such as backup and active archiving, and also highlighted content delivery as a target use case.

S3 compatibility is expected to be central to adoption. Many software tools and data platforms use S3 APIs as a standard interface for object storage, which can reduce the need for application changes when moving between providers.

Cubbit will provide technical and commercial support, including training, sales enablement, and joint go-to-market initiatives. The work will focus on service quality and SLA standards.

Executive view

Worldstream described the launch as part of a broader reassessment by organisations of supplier concentration in cloud services.

"We see more and more organisations reassessing their dependency on hyperscalers. Not because cloud doesn't work, but because control, predictability, and data sovereignty have become critical priorities. With this S3 service, we offer a fully European alternative that delivers the same flexibility, while giving organisations maximum control over their data and costs. This is a logical next step in our evolution as an independent cloud infrastructure provider," said Ruben van der Zwan, CEO, Worldstream.

Cubbit framed the Dutch launch around a shared focus on sovereignty, combining European software with Dutch infrastructure.

"We selected Worldstream as our partner for the Dutch market because we immediately shared a common vision: the idea of building a fully sovereign and flexible alternative for Dutch customers, giving them an outstanding storage solution based on a European software stack and Dutch infrastructure. As geopolitical dynamics evolve and more organisations treat data sovereignty, control, and compliance as non-negotiable, Worldstream can now offer a service that combines predictable costs and high scalability with a 100% European, geo-distributed architecture designed for national data sovereignty and resilience," said Alessandro Cillario, co-CEO and co-founder, Cubbit.

Cubbit and Worldstream plan to showcase the joint offering at CloudFest 2026 in Germany.